We May Have Found a Cure For Alzheimer’s in a Common Menstrual Pain Drug

The incurable Alzheimer’s disease may now have a cure thanks to an anti-inflammatory drug called mefenamic acid, which is typically used for menstrual pain.

Working on the hypothesis that inflammation in the brain makes Alzheimer’s worse, researchers at Manchester University gave a group of 10 mice the drug, while another 10 received a placebo.

And the results were extraordinary

Over the course of the month-long study, memory loss and brain inflammation completely reversed in the mice that received mefenamic acid.

The drug effectively targeted the NLRP3 inflammasome, which is an important inflammatory pathway that damages brain cells.

And as the leader of the study said, “Until now, no drug has been available to target this pathway, so we are very excited by this result.”

More good news

Since mefenamic acid is already available (as is research about its toxicity and effects on the body), it could find its way to patients much faster than a new drug.

In fact, the Alzheimer’s Society says this could save them the “15 years or so needed to develop a new dementia drug from scratch.”

With that being said, a slew of studies on humans are still needed before this becomes an accepted form of treatment. So hang tight.

Welcome to The Hustle. We send an email every morning with all the big news from business, tech, and culture. Just the important stuff-- none of the fluff. Sign up below or read our most recent email to see what's up.